Obituary of Helen Goldsworthy

Born February 9 1923, on the Goodhope Farm in Downie Township, Perth County, Ontario, passed away January 1, 2015, Hospice Wellington, Guelph Ontario. Helen is survived by brother Robert (Marylin) Good, her two sons, Peter (Lois), Mark (Jennifer), sister-in-law Pat Good, grandchildren; Elizabeth (Nicholas), Christopher (Rachel), Paul (Michelle), Jack, Jason (Tiffany), Taylor (Ally), and great-grandchildren; Grace, Liam, Ella, Matilda, Avrey, Savannah, and Colton. Helen was predeceased by her parents John and Cora (nee Richardson) Good, and brothers Harvey, Alvin, and Orville, and husband John. Helen is also survived by sisters-in-law & brother-in-law Mary (Paul) Korbelas and Jean Goldsworthy as well as many loving nieces, nephews and cousins. Having been raised on a 100 acre farm in Perth county through the depression, Helen experienced a life which children today would have difficulty imagining. Helen went to a one room school house for grades 1-9. For high school she moved into Stratford and lived with her maternal grandmother. At that time there were no school buses, so if she hadn't been able to live with her grandmother she wouldn't have been able to attend high school. Following high school, she attended Stratford Normal School, which was the teacher's college for the area. Completing one year there, she received her teacher's certificate and began teaching. After a few years teaching in the area, Helen applied far and wide, and heard about a posting at a small lumbering community in the North West area of Algonquin Provincial Park. Kiosk was the name of the small lumber community where she taught, on Kioshkokwi Lake. At that time there were no roads in to the community, only a rail line from North Bay. Most of the residents were French speaking only, but since the lumber company was English owned, the school teacher hired was always English speaking. She loved her time there (despite missing home, friends and family) and realized after two years she would have to leave then or might never leave at all. She has always spoken so highly of the people of Kiosk, and in a visit back there in the late 1970s she was greeted very warmly by people who remembered her. Helen continued to teach school until motherhood became her priority in 1958. She enjoyed teaching, and spent as much time as possible pursuing science in field trips and walks with students, music competitions, as well as teaching dance, all curriculum as required, and enjoying students' curiosity in the classroom. Before starting her own family, Helen appreciated oil painting and studied under Matthew Kousal, a brilliant and encouraging Czech artist, who had a studio locally in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. Her painting fell by the wayside at the point when she had toddlers running around, but the remaining paintings always elicit great comments. Helen believed in the importance of service, and throughout her life engaged in many different forms. As a young woman, (after first being a counsellor) she was a United Church CGIT (Canadian Girls In Training) summer camp Director for a few years. She volunteered at the Grand River Hospital (then KW Hospital). She taught Sunday school at Knox Presbyterian Church in Waterloo, and later at First United Church. She served the church through many ways including the United Church Women, as an Elder on Session, providing food for funerals, various committees, visitations whenever necessary, quietly assisting individuals in need when ministers requested, and all the other small tasks churches need to have done. Helen was a founding member of the local chapter of the Thyroid Foundation of Canada. Having suffered with both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism at different times in her life, she was a great advocate of greater research and personal learning in these matters. She encouraged many people to attend the local Thyroid Foundation events. Helen became involved in the family company, R.D.Goldsworthy & Co. Ltd, at her husband, John's, request in the early 1970s, and stayed there until retirement. Friends are invited to share their memories of Helen with her family during visitation at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo on Thursday, January 8, 2015 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. and on Friday, January 9, 2015 from 10-10:45 a.m. with the funeral service at 11:00 a.m. in the funeral home chapel. Rev Kellie McComb officiating. In lieu of flowers, gifts to the Thyroid Foundation of Canada, Hospice Wellington, or Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated and may be arranged through the funeral home at www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.